Trainz/Trainz modules

About Trainz modules
Trainz is a software suite, a group of applications programs designed to work together. Many of these modules determine the run-time look-see-and-feel of the program, and others, such as the loader, and main menus (the same 'screen' in many versions) serve solely to help navigate between the other applications modes, while one like the launcher, can allow you to navigate to the Auran/N3V website urls particular to that version, the Auran forums, or to set global options&mdash;some of which need initialized, and others which can be left defaulted.

Some terms

 *  - Applications Program Interface, several Trainz Modules have parts which aren't full programs, but are menu-like API's. The two most often used will be the Options menu and the Session editor; you'll need to set up some stuff on the former, and then when we teach you how to drive a session, we'll show you how to snoop the session so you can drive sensibly before getting frustrated.


 *  - Applications Programs using a Graphical User Interface (implied is different from the Operating Systems). Technically, Windows and MAC OS-X are GUI's themselves, but Trainz run-time GUI's are why we run the product.

Key Applications
The main run-time applications the new user, or veteran Trainzer will see most often are:
 * 1) The Launcher - this is the program linked to by any automatically created shortcuts, such as one in Windows > Programs > Trainz-directory and your desktop icon will have created; they will open the laucher exe file (Trainz.exe) and put you into the Launcher menu API.  In the N3V era, these are universally named Trainz.exe and are located in your.
 * 2) Launcher > Options has various  much like similar API's in Windows or the MAC, and so allows you to set-up Trainz for your monitor, your software license key for accessing the Download Station, and setup things like backups preferences, graphics drawing/rendering parameters, and other esoteric matters.
 * 3) 'Launcher' is set up as the way to also load the other main modules, so you can use it to reach Content Manager, or Launch the Trainz run-time GUI modules.
 * 4)  or 'CM - is the user's data base manager and interface with the Download Station. It's powerful enough we dedicate no less than three pages just to covering it in basic,  and  topics pages. It is used to edit assets, archive or disable them, search for assets to load into the pick list API, and import or export assets content to and from the data base. It can also be used to delete assets from the Trainz Asset Database (or TAD'''), which is the only way a new user can mess things up, so don't delete until you've got the hang of things!
 * 5) Railyard - once called 'My Collection', is a module that let's you see rolling stock assets (Loco's and traincars) up close and personal. It also will display the  of the asset. Most veteran users pretty much ignore it.
 * 6) Main menu or 'Loader' is the gateway to the run-time GUI part of Trainz. It was overhauled into a different look-see-and-feel during the TS10 releases, but the basic functions, albeit with different buttons remain: Launch Surveyor or Driver.
 * 7) The newer look also has a button for 'Updating Content' (not recommended), and for running the built-in tutorials, or navigating to the TrainzOnline Wiki This makes those easier to find for the novice.
 * 8) In the Trainz&mdash;TS2009 menu, one merely selected, , or

Notes, Footnotes & References
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